The Ring of Gyges
by EvilApricots
Summary: Runners - the necessary balance in the war between Assassins and Templars, never taking sides and only observing their ways. But when a Runner finds a new artefact, said to grant invisibility, she has to choose between two different kinds of murderers.
1. Petty Thief?

According to the legend, the ancestor of Gyges of Lydia was a shepherd in the service of King Candaules of Lydia. After an earthquake, a cave was revealed in a mountainside where Gyges was feeding his flock. Entering the cave, Gyges discovered that it was in fact a tomb with a bronze horse containing a corpse, larger than that of a man, who wore a golden ring, which Gyges pocketed. He discovered that the ring gave him the power to become invisible by adjusting it. Gyges then arranged to be chosen as one of the messengers who reported to the king as to the status of the flocks. Arriving at the palace, Gyges used his new power of invisibility to seduce the queen, and with her help he murdered the king, and became king of Lydia himself. King Croesus, famous for his wealth, was Gyges' descendant. It granted its owner the power to become invisible at will. Through the story of the ring, The Republic discusses whether a typical person would be moral if they did not have to fear the consequences of their actions.

Ring of Gyges

The girl stuck her out my tongue, biting down on it as her leg muscles ripped in pain, as she pulled a clear piece of glass from her leg, letting the crimson blood fall from it, making her leg sting like hell. It is to be expected after jumping out a window though.

Flinching as she knelt, she looked passed the curtain of the small roof garden she'd acquired, seeing if the coast was clear.

It was, all the soldiers had given up, not bothered to chase after a 'thief' when assassins where running around.

She wrapped the package in some more cloth, stolen - from the stall that caused her to jump out of a window - and tied it so it could be wrapped round her back for easy carry across the roof tops. Slipping the makeshift bag over her shoulders, making it look like a sash, she jumped out of the roof garden and ran to her destination where her client would be waiting.


	2. Assassin!

Disclaimer – I don't own Assassin's Creed and half of the details mentioned in this are fictional.

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Isra never did expect this to be what going the Jerusalem that day would lead to. To be perfectly honest, going to save the life of some random assassin and men was something she never expected to do at all.

Though, in life, things never do tend to go 'according to plan'

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"Isra! Isra! Amon is looking for you!" a woman shouted up to the cliffs where Isra stood, looking over river. It was so peaceful there, unlike in the cities where Templar's and Assassins ruled.

"Isra! Come down before we _both_ get into trouble." The young woman shouted desperately. This is what she got for befriending one of the most adventurous runners in the kingdom. Isra looked down as she heard her best friend's voice from below. Grinning she started her run down to where her friend waited. This was normal for both, Layla may sound worried that they were in trouble but they both knew they'd get there on time and in one piece, it was how it went here. No Templar's and _definitely_ no assassins to stop them.

"Took you long enough! Come on you have a job." Layla called, running ahead as she saw her friend follow her. Isra laughed and run faster to catch her friend running to the small settlement where Amon waited.

The settlement was a small cluster of tents in the areas of empty desert between cites, moving depending on jobs or on how many soldiers were guarding the cities and areas around.

Anyone could live there, as long as they were willing to live in peace.

Unlike the Assassins life style, Runners lived in peace, never interfering unless completely necessary, never taking sides. A necessary balance in the unbalanced world.

"Ah Layla, you found her." Amon greeted. Amon was their 'leader' and a nice man, nicer than most and acted like a father to all the runners he hired and would give his life to make sure everyone of them where safe. His hair – that had once been black in his youth - was now greying, along with his beard which looked like it hadn't been cut in years. He could have left the Kingdom, had a rich life because of his rich father but he chose to use his money to create the settlement and look after orphans, runaways and just random wanderers. Never even regretting his decision.

"Though I should be surprised, Layla don't leave just yet. Both of you need to go on this mission."He motioned to seats in front of him.

"Isra, I have a package for you to deliver. It's to be taken to Jerusalem and delivered to a friend of mine. A scholar in the middle district. Go there and find him. His name is AlimQaderi tell him Amon Badawi sent you. Layla I want you to go to another scholar, Irfan. He is to give you a package to deliver to me. Both of you meet up after your missions and leave Jerusalem together. There has been talk of assassins in the area and I don't' want either of you being caught. That is all."

"As you wish." Both Isra and Layla said, Isra taking the package from Amon and leaving. Layla stretched as she left the tent looking to her friend. Layla, native to Acre, had dark skin with olive undertones and dark eyes. She grew up in Acer as a street rat until she was 12, when she was found Basma and Amin, two runners on their way back to Amon. She was taken in after Amon was told of her amazing speed over buildings and sand and she'd been part of the clan ever since. Her brown hair tended to be tied back with what she had, as she couldn't bring herself to cut it so it wasn't in her face and a bandana protected her from the sun. Though loud and happy, she could have serious moments, very rare moments but moments none the less.

"What's irritated you today Isra? You're in thought which is a dangerous past time for you as it always leads us into trouble." Layla grinned, messing up her friend's hair. Layla had known Isra from the day she was brought to the settlement. Unlike Layla, Isra grew up in Egypt, Cairo and travelled with Amon, who taught her everything she knew now. Like Layla she had dark skin and eyes but her hair was black and cut short and uneven. Unlike Layla she didn't care much about her hair. Isra was known for being one of the best runners in the settlement but also the most free-spirited of them all, never staying in one place for long and hating stone walls or any type of containment. She went where the wind took her, and right now it took her back to the settlement after a year of being off by herself just going with the flow.

"Just thinking about the recent assassinations. Thanks to the Assassins the guards are on high alert and are shooting at anyone on the roof tops for no reason or anyone who is running. Took me days before I could use that leg properly." Isra moaned, irritated as she rubbed her scar. She had been delivering a simple package, it was a low key job but when they saw her running from building to building they got suspicious. She ended up having to lose them by running into a house and then running out one of the windows, causing her to injure herself on the landing.

"Well let's just hope that there are no assassins in Jerusalem today. I need an easy job after the last two." Layla laughed before jumping onto a cart heading to Jerusalem.  
"Hey! Wait!" Isra called, running after the cart and jumping on, sand flying around her feet.

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Now here she was, waiting anxiously for the signal to be called and for the guards the catch the bait.

"Assassin!" Isra looked up to see Layla's stolen white cape turn a corner as guards chase after her. Perfect. People dispersed along with the guards hoping to catch a glimpse of the so called assassin before he was caught. Isra had to move quickly, most of the guards had left but some would be back soon when they realised that they weren't going to catch the 'assassin'. Two guards had stayed with the prisoners, watching them, it would be easy enough. Jumping down behind the guards she grabbed the guards head and spun him round making it easier for her to slam his head against her knee, knocking him unconscious. The second was harder as he was alerted and his sword was drawn, ready to kill. Circling each other, Isra came up with a plan. Looking to the right she frowned making the guard turn, confused and curious as to what she was looking at giving her an opening. Running up she grabbed the sword's handle and tore it out the distracted guard's hands, hitting him with the blunt end, knocking him out as well. Breathing heavily from strain she went to work with untying the prisoners from the wooden beams. The two innocent men first, then the assassin.

"You have to run no- ah!" Isra called out in pain as a large hand grabbed a large chuck of her hair and through her to the ground.

"You little wench! You will pay for this insolence!" another guard shouted aiming his sword for her chest. Without thinking Isra kicked him hard in the groin and then again the face giving her some time to stand and fight.

_He must have given up and come back to check on the others. Just my luck_. Isra thought, irritated. The guard regained posture quickly and charged Isra, making her dodge out the way and back to facing him. Cringing in pain she looked down briefly to see a long and pretty deep wound in her stomach, staining her brown tunic red. The guard grinned in success and ran to her again but another got him first. The next thing the guard or Isra saw was a blade sticking out from the guard's chest. Quickly and smoothly it was pulled out, sending the guard onto the ground. Holding her wounded stomach she watched as the hooded man sheathed his sword, giving her time to run. She knew better than to face a Master Assassin. She left just in time for guard calls to echo round the yard and church bells signalling death. That explained the Master Assassin's presence then. He was there for an assassination. _Oops_, Isra thought. _Layla's assassin distraction probably worried him for a moment or got him into just as much trouble Layla did._

Isra began to slow quickly; even with her training, a wound like she had would slow even Amon the greatest of all the runners.

When she believed she wasn't being followed she ducked into one of the roof gardens, a place she frequently visited thanks to her recent bad luck streak. Her conscious was draining and she knew she would fall asleep soon from the blood loss which would leave her to either dying from blood loss or the inevitable infection she would get from it. Just as sleep engulfed her a white clad figure jumped into the roof garden, snapping her awake. She was about to say something when she realised he was probably being followed and speaking would alert them, although she was also worried about alerting the assassin to her presence.

Isra wasn't scared of the assassin, not as much as she'd like to be. She knew of their creed, to never take the life of an innocent though whether she could be considered innocent was debatable.

She went to move, hoping to leave without the assassin knowing but the movement hurt more than she expected.

"Ah!" she whispered in pain, alerting the assassin to her presence though the way he checked her wound without any emotion or question made her think he knew she was there the entire time. His hood covered most of his face, but the faint pale lines of scars where still visible from what she could see. She didn't bother with a name, and didn't really care. F she asked him, he would ask her and neither would answer.

"If it isn't cleaned and stitched immediately it will become infected and you will be dead by the morning." The assassin said matter-of-factly before standing. "Can you walk?" he asked. Isra nodded and stood shakily. This stance wouldn't last long but hopefully long enough for her to get away from him and get to Layla.

"I have a friend nearby. I will get help from her." Isra said, quietly before jumping out the roof garden and on to find Layla outside the gates.

"Isra! What happened?" Layla asked, watching as blood crusted round the wound and new blood spilt.

"Accident." Isra grinned lightly before her legs gave way slightly.

"Come on; let's get you on the cart back to the settlement. I told you saving that assassin was a bad idea. There more trouble than their worth." Layla laughed, ruffling Isra's hair.


End file.
